Asbestos was installed as an insulating material for buildings and pipes and also as fire-resistant material in buildings. Presently, there is a strong need to remove the asbestos from such buildings because asbestos is thought to cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
The following is the present method by which asbestos is removed:
The area which has been coated with asbestos, a ceiling, wall or piping for example, is restricted to one particular area by using sheets of plastic, i.e., polyethylene film to seal off a contaminated working area, the seams of the film are held together with materials such as duct tape. The workers are protected with personal protective equipment and a negative pressure is maintained in the contaminated working area. The asbestos is wetted with water to minimize the asbestos fibers from becoming airborne. The asbestos is then removed manually or with pressure sprayers and disposed in polyethylene bags. The area is cleaned, usually with water, to remove traces of asbestos. Unfortunately, often the asbestos contaminated water seeps through the seams of the film or the film may be split during the removal process and the wetted asbestos or asbestos contaminated water can seep through the split in the film and contaminate other areas with the asbestos. Any water which contains asbestos is considered contaminated water and ideally any contaminated water and airborne asbestos should be confined to the contaminated working area.
Accordingly, the present invention is a method of using aqueous-fluid absorbing polymers or superabsorbent polymers in various materials to immobilize the contaminated water. If the contaminated water is held in a material containing superabsorbent polymer or in superabsorbent polymer, the mobility of the contaminated water is thereby reduced and is more readily disposable thereby the threat of contaminating other areas is greatly and desirably reduced.